Attorney for Troubled Lake Peekskill Property Responds

The attorney representing Jemab Family Limited Partnership, which owns homes in Lake Peekskill that have been subject to violations of septic systems, sent a letter to Watching Putnam Valley. It is being reproduced in its entirety below.

Dear Ms. Bartlett,

I am the attorney for the Jemab FLP and I am in receipt of the Newsletter you wrote for PV News Brief concerning Jemab FLP. That newsletter must be corrected or retracted since it is filled with incorrect information.

Firstly, there are no violations against Eileen Myers. Ms. Myers is a Partner in Jemab FLP.

Secondly, as not completely stated in the 2nd sentence, my client can either admit or deny the new violations.

Thirdly, the administrative judge did not repeatedly try to explain to my client that she is delaying her decision concerning the new violations or that she would be subject to continued violations by the county's inspectors. My client was just served with new violations at the hearing so those allegations were adjourned to give us a chance to discuss whether we would admit or deny those claims. Also, no one knows what the County Inspector's will do in the future. Our right to adjourn these new allegations does not mean that Jemab FLP will be subject to continued violations. Also, the judge did not repeatedly try to explain anything to my client. Judge Zaidins was acting as an impartial judge who adjourned the new violations to allow us the opportunity to decide whether we would admit or deny them.

Fourthly, delays in the case are not caused by Jemab FLP. The case was adjourned because we were just served with new allegations. My client has the right to discuss these violations with counsel and her architect and address these violations at the next court date. The case is also not closed out yet by the County.

Fifthly, you mistakenly state that no repairs have been done. I don't even know how you came to that conclusion since that wasn't discussed at this time with the Court. It's too early at this point to discuss our mitigating factors. Also, that statement is simply not true as the Architect and Jemab FLP have made repairs to the subject property.

It is clear from all these mistakes that you are not acting like an impartial journalist but just sending out a smear campaign against my client. You're stating that this is a News Brief, but you've sprinkled it with your personal and biased opinions concerning my client. We demand that you immediately make the above corrections or retract the letter. My client reserves all legal remedies including Libel actions against you.

Please be guided accordingly.

Sincerely,

Heath Gurinsky, Esq.

WPV response: In response to Gurinsky's letter, the News Brief has been corrected to reflect that the violations are against Jemab Family Limited Partnership, of which Eileen Myers is a partner, rather than against her personally. As there was no recording of the administrative hearing, the judge's comments are subject to interpretation. Gurinsky's letter states that repairs have been done on the property. According to the County Health Department and Putnam Valley's code enforcement officer, the necessary repairs to fix the septic system have not been done.